Maggie Murchie worked in the Arcata Community Development Department for 23 years, from 1986 through December 2009. As the primary face behind the counter, she was the first step for anyone needing a building permit, a zoning inquiry, a building code question, information on an on-going project in Arcata, and everything in-between and beyond. She had a style of interacting with the public that was pleasant, productive, and most definitely unique. It was a combination of “Let’s get this done” while at the same time being “Hey, I don’t have all day for this” while always being pleasant and cheerful. As the obituary for Maggie (see below) remarked, “It has been reported that she sometimes had to train contractors how to fill out the paper work correctly.” In essence, Maggie trained all of us.

She was super-helpful and courteous, curt and business-like — all at the same time.

These are my memories. Please write to me with yours, and I can add them here.

Now-retired contractor and designer Daniel Duncan (see his book “2022 Arcata: 18 Ways of looking at a City” here) sent this:

​Many of you may remember a certain outspoken counter-person who worked in building/planning for several years to deal with the often impatient and frustrated public. Her name was Maggie. I got to know her pretty well when I was a builder requiring necessary visits to city hall for permits. 

When a customer got uppity with Maggie, she gave that customer a piece of her mind. One of her favorite phrases was, ​​”Anxiety on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.”

Maggie’s legacy came up at the April 5, 2023, City Council meeting, in the Mad River Properties potential housing expansion agenda discussion. While showing some of the original documents to the Council, Community Development Director David Loya commented:

You know, that harkens back to 2000 when we adopted our General Plan, and I just wanted to acknowledge the handwriting of Maggie Murchie, our admin assistant who will will always be loved by the City of Arcata and the Community Development Department.

Maggie’s words and spirit come up again

And how else does Maggie’s legacy come up in these turbulent times of updates to Arcata’s General Plan and creation of the Gateway Area Plan and the new Form-Based Code that accompanies the Gateway Plan? Well, see this article for more.

​“Anxiety on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.”

Maggie insisted on getting things done properly. For her, there was no other way. Shortcuts were just not tolerated.

A thank-you is extended to David Loya for bringing up the memory of Maggie in a fond and loving way.

Margaret K. Murchie

October 29, 1938 – February 1, 2011

Margaret K. Murchie died the morning of February 1, 2011 at St Joseph Hospital with an angelic face not seen often enough in a long time as she had been fighting cancer for 18 months and other ailments for a number of years prior to that. Although she loved Margaret, many knew her as Maggie. She never let any of her suffering get control of her life. While limited physically, she managed to take frequent trips especially to Ashland Shakespeare Festival twice a year for a week at a time. Plays, music, food and good friends were her bread and butter. Going out to eat with her was an experience. God forbid they would serve “white lettuce”. She often engaged with instructions the wait staff about the food prior to ordering. She was born Margaret Kohuth on October 29, 1938 in Lorain, Ohio where she attended elementary and high school. Maggie had a particular interest in Theater Arts, participating in theater productions not only in high school but also at Kent State University. In 1961 she moved to San Francisco for a few years prior to moving to Southern California. After a number of years in Santa Monica, she was convinced by her future husband, Tom Bronchetti, to share her life with him in Humboldt County. After living in Arcata for a few years, they bought a lovely house in Eureka where she brought style and taste to make it a home they both enjoyed for 24 years. Maggie loved to travel to England where she had her good friends Mike and Diane Walder and there three great kids. They treated her like a queen. She also would visit an old friend in Paris that she loved very much. Beautiful teapots caught her fancy on her travels to England and France. She was of Slovak ancestry and went to a family reunion in Solvakia in September of 2001. It was wonderful beyond belief. She has many loving family that lives there. After working as a secretary for the Arcata Community Development Department for 23 years, she retired in December 2009 after major cancer surgery a few months prior. It has been reported that she sometimes had to train contractors how to fill out the paper work correctly. To name all her friends would fill this entire page. Just let it be known she loved and was loved by all who knew her and she was always grateful for their concern for her this past year plus. After months of suffering, she died peacefully under hospice care in the hospital with her husband holding her hand. All her health care workers and staff at St Josephs Hospital were wonderfully supportive. A special thanks to Dr Beth Abels and her assistant Pam who treated her like a favorite sister and aunt. Dr Z at St Joes is the best. Also the Doctors and staff at UCSF Mount Zion Cancer Center in San Francisco were terrific in giving her another year plus with compassionate care. She was given the last rites by Father Swavek of St Bernard’s Catholic Church in Eureka a few days prior to her death. Maggie was preceded in death by her father Tony and mother Loretta. She leaves her husband Tom Bronchetti, her loving sister Ginny Nevins and brother-in-law Scott Nevins, their three children and three wonderful grandchildren and many loving relatives in this country and the Slovak Republic. She is also survived by her stepsisters Ariel Penn and Carol Rollins, her husband Duane and their children. She had a private funeral mass at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Eureka celebrated beautifully by Father Eric Freed. There will be a celebration of her life the first part of May on the Trinity river in Douglas City at her good friend’s home. Family and friends will be invited. As Maggie did lots of volunteer work over the years she would want, if you wish, for you to support the charities closest to your hearts.